Abstract:

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will build upon recent advances in nanotechnology and laser processing of materials to pursue the large-scale production of stoichiometrically pure silicon carbide (SiC) fibers which are very difficult to obtain by other means. The transition from laboratory scale to industrial production requires a sea change in manufacturing approach. The proposed research will investigate the parameters involved in creating a "Digital Spinneret" (DS), a novel technology platform which enables the production of large qualities of high-quality fibers. The Phase I project demonstrated feasibility of the Digital Spinneret to produce many fibers in parallel; the Phase II research will extend and optimize this manufacturing method. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be the enabling of scaled production of high-purity ceramic fibers for application in military and aerospace (turbomachinery, rockets, advanced structures), automobile, medical, energy, and other industries that require advanced materials with exceptional strength, stiffness, heat resistance, and/or chemical resistance. These are fast-growing fiber markets with great potential, and with a collective size exceeding $1 billion. The projected energy footprint of this production method is 1/1000th that of competing methods, providing a huge cost advantage.